DEIA and Belonging

Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) Plans
Applicants are required to include a Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) Plan as an appendix to the research proposal narrative. The PIER Plan must be specific to the research proposal and will be considered a key part of the scientific and technical merits of the proposed research.

• Plans may include, but are not limited to:
  • strategies of your institution (and collaborating institutions, if applicable) for enhanced recruitment of undergraduate students, graduate students, and early-stage investigators (postdoctoral researchers, and others), including individuals from diverse backgrounds and groups historically underrepresented in the research community;
  • strategies for creating and sustaining a positive, inclusive, safe, and professional research and training environment that fosters a sense of belonging among all research personnel; and/or
  • training, mentoring, and professional development opportunities.
• Plans may incorporate or build upon existing diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion efforts of the project key personnel or applicant institution(s), but should not be a re-statement of standard institutional policies or broad principles.
• The complexity and detail of a PIER is expected to increase with the size of the research team and the number of personnel to be supported.
• Some solicitations may include additional guidance language for PIER Plans tailored to the scope and objectives of the solicitation and history of the programmatic activities.

Impact on Merit Review
Unless otherwise tailored in the solicitation (Funding Opportunity Announcement or DOE Laboratory Call), the merit review criteria for the evaluation of applications are as follows, in descending order of importance:

• Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project
• Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach
• Competency of Applicant’s Personnel and Adequacy of Proposed Resources
• Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget
• Quality and Efficacy of the Plan for Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research

The guiding reviewer questions for the criterion, Quality and Efficacy of the Plan for Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research, include the following:

• Is the proposed Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) Plan suitable for the size and complexity of the proposed project and an integral component of the proposed project?
• To what extent is the PIER Plan likely to lead to participation of individuals from diverse backgrounds, including individuals historically underrepresented in the research community?
• What aspects of the PIER Plan are likely to contribute to the goal of creating and maintaining an equitable, inclusive, encouraging, and professional training and research environment and supporting a sense of belonging among project personnel?
• How does the proposed Plan include intentional mentorship and are the associated mentoring resources reasonable and appropriate?
• Additional reviewer questions which may be included in the solicitation applicable to the scope of the solicitation and history of the research efforts.

Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) Plans

• Information about PIER Plans
  • General Guidance Language on PIER Plans
  • Merit Review Criterion and Reviewer Questions
• Things to Consider when Developing a PIER Plan
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recorded Public Webinar: New FY 2023 Proposal Requirements, October 17, 2022

Inclusion Plans
Inclusion, defined as the full participation, belonging, and contribution of organizations and individuals, is a core NASA value and SMD has been piloting the addition of Inclusion Plans for some program elements in Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES). At their core, Inclusion Plans are designed to raise awareness of barriers to creating and sustaining positive, inclusive working environments and to get proposers actively thinking about ways to foster diverse and inclusive practices for their research and mission teams.

Starting in ROSES-2023, Inclusion Plan requirements were standardized for all participating program elements. Beginning in ROSES-2024, the evaluation processes for these plans has also been standardized.

On February 20, 2024, 3:00 - 4:30 PM Eastern, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Inclusion Plan Community of Practice will host a webinar to discuss requirements for and evaluation of Inclusion Plans in ROSES-2024. The webinar will (1) discuss the motivation and goals of Inclusion Plans, (2) describe Inclusion Plan requirements and how they differ from previous years, and (3) discuss how Inclusion Plans will be evaluated.  The webinar will be broadcast live via WebEx. Connection.

Inclusion Plan Resources

• General
• IDEA definitions
• Challenges to inclusive working environment
• Best practices
• Assessments/metrics
• Team dynamics/safety
• Policies/laws/EOs
• Workshops --  Inclusion Plan Best Practices Workshop Agenda with links to presentations and recordings
• Training

Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP)
A “Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives” (PEDP) is a summary of strategies to advance the scientific and technical merit of the proposed project through inclusivity. Broadly, diverse perspectives refer to the people who do the research, the places where research is done, as well as the people who participate in the research as part of the study population.

The PEDP is submitted as a 1-page “Other Attachment” to be included in grant applications submitted in response to specified Notices of Funding Opportunities.

Within the Research Strategy, applicants should align their description with the PEDP strategies and milestones, and are encouraged to refer to information included in the PEDP attachment. In the 1-page PEDP summary, applicants are expected to show how enhancing diverse perspectives is supported throughout the application and how this strengthens the scientific and technical merit of the project (in terms of significance, investigator(s), innovation, approach, and environment), as appropriate.

It is anticipated that every PEDP will be unique and will depend on the content and structure of the scientific aims, the required expertise, the environment, and the performance site(s). Innovative and sustainable approaches that support scientific excellence by fostering inclusive environments and practices are encouraged. 

Key Elements to be included in a PEDP for a proposed research program:

• Summary of strategies (and their rationales) that advance the scientific and technical merit through expanded inclusivity
• Timeline and milestones for the PEDP
• Approaches to assessing progress towards meeting the PEDP defined goals

When a PEDP is required, as specified in the NOFO, applications submitted without such a plan will be considered incomplete and will be withdrawn prior to peer review. The PEDP will be assessed as part of the scientific and technical peer review evaluation and will be considered as part of the scientific and technical merit of the proposed project, as determined by scientific peer review.

Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives -- Brain Initiative

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Key Elements and Examples

An Acronym to Know—Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP) -- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

NIGMS Continues and Expands Its MIRA Program -- National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

Plan For Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP) -- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Plans for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDPs) -- Human Virome Program

• Diversity and Scientific Excellence -- NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research
• NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)
• Reaffirming NIH’s Commitment to Workforce Diversity

• Data on Researchers’ Self-Reported Disability Status
• Diversity Matters
• Ending Structural Racism
• UNITE -- Initiative to address structural racism and promote racial equity and inclusion at NIH and within the larger biomedical research enterprise
     UNITE Progress Report 2022

• Diversity Related Funding Opportunity Announcements
• Scientific Workforce Diversity Seminar Series (SWDSS)

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice and Accesibility (DEIJA) -- National Sea Grant & New Hampshire Sea Grant
National Sea Grant and New Hampshire Sea Grant are committed to integrating principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and accessibility (DEIJA) into their programs through all functional areas – research, extension, education, communications, and administration.

NH Sea Grant has a role to play in combatting structural, societal, and environmental injustices, and we will hold ourselves accountable to this necessary and critical work now and for months and years to come.In order to strengthen NH Sea Grant’s ability to learn about, appreciate, and implement greater DEIJA principles through our work, we are taking steps to build a more culturally competent organization by:

• Educating ourselves in collaboration with our colleagues, partners, volunteers, and constituents by listening, sharing and learning
• Working with experts to help us move our organization from awareness to accountability and action
• Acknowledging the roles of history, legacy, and geography
• Integrating DEIJA considerations into our organizational planning, implementation, reporting and communications
• Reaching out more broadly in recruiting and hiring, proposal solicitation and reviews, project design and program advising

NHSG encourages potential PIs to consider how they can increase the implementation of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion into their projects through their approaches, collaborations, topics, students, and engagement efforts. NHSG staff members are ready and willing to discuss integration ideas with potential PIs. NHSG staff members can often provide key information, contacts, access to networks, best practices, and expertise during the project design, development, and implementation phases.

• DEIJA related topics – is there a way to connect a coastal and marine topic you are interested in with a justice, equity, diversity, or inclusion topic? For example, municipal land use/climate policies and equity, or seafood/sea vegetables and food security.
• DEIJA partnerships – is there someone you could include in your project who could inform, co-investigate, or benefit from the research in ways that enhance the DEIJA aspects of the work? Would the work benefit from collaborations with someone you have not routinely partnered with in the past?
• Engagement for DEIJA – have you considered or sought out best practices for engaging with a new audience or stakeholders in ways that are more equitable, just, and inclusive? Are you taking stakeholders' needs, resources, and expertise into consideration when designing engaged projects? Have you contacted a NHSG staff member or other outreach specialist for engagement assistance?
• DEIJA considerations for students – is your research taking the needs, resources, relative opportunities, and perspectives of students, especially underserved students, you work with into consideration in ways that will enhance their success as well as the success of the project?
• DEIJA and science communication – are you planning any communications associated with your project? Have you considered communications products more accessible to diverse audiences?

Reaching Outward and Looking Inward -- Building Sea Grant Resilience from the Lens of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice
2022 National Sea Grant’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJA) Visioning Plan

Our Values -- NH Sea Grant